Pakistan has criticized India for bypassing the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) by sharing flood alerts through diplomatic channels instead of the Indus Water Commission, the treaty-mandated body.
The Foreign Office said India’s High Commission in Islamabad delivered flood data on Sunday, its first such communication since unilaterally suspending the treaty after the April Pahalgam attack. The Indian mission’s letter warned of a “high flood” in River Tawi, Jammu, at 10 am on August 24.
The FO acknowledged the warning but said the method violated the treaty. “On 24 August 2025, India communicated flood warnings through diplomatic channels rather than the Indus Waters Commission. This is against IWT provisions,” the FO said, calling the suspension a “serious breach of international law” with risks for regional peace.
Officials in Islamabad believe India is deliberately avoiding treaty obligations to reshape future interactions. An Indian source told Reuters the move was made “on humanitarian grounds,” not under treaty terms.
After receiving the data, Punjab’s PDMA issued warnings for Gujrat and Sialkot districts, alerting that increased River Tawi levels could impact Chenab’s flow. Emergency response systems were activated in vulnerable areas.
The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, gives Pakistan rights over Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, while India controls Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej with restrictions. The Permanent Court of Arbitration recently ruled India cannot unilaterally withdraw from the treaty and must comply with all conditions.
Pakistan has repeatedly cautioned that any disruption to its water share by India will be treated as hostile action.